1. Technical Field
Embodiments generally relate to power management in computing platforms. More particularly, embodiments relate to the selective throttling of non-core processor regions based on voltage regulator current levels.
2. Discussion
As computing platforms become smaller and more lightweight, a number of power management concerns may be encountered. For example, the ability to reduce platform size can be limited by the size of the voltage regulator (VR) components that provide power to the various processors and other circuits of the platform. Moreover, VR component size may be a function of a specified maximum amount of current (e.g., Iccmax) that VRs are expected to be capable of supplying. While computing platforms could be designed to have VRs with a current supplying capability that is less than the specified amount, such an approach may increase the risk of VR shutdown or lifetime degradation. Indeed, downsizing VRs that supply non-core processor regions of the platform may be particularly problematic given a traditional lack of protection mechanisms in those regions.